[Mystery bird] California Gull, Larus californicus, photographed on Antelope Island Causeway and State Park of the Great Salt Lake and Northern Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]

Comments

Looks like the hint of a black ring and redspot on the bill (more easily seen when enlarging the bird’s reflection), white spots on the black wingtips, medium gray mantle, and the hint of greenish-yellow in the legs which all point to Emmy’s ID and the State bird of Utah (something to do with pioneering Mormons!)… Herring is is eliminated (although some have been recorded having both a black ring and red spot on the bill) due to leg color whih should be pinkish and have the “forehead” we discussed a couple of weeks ago; the Ring-billed would show a lighter gray and does not have the red spot, as would the Mew (out of range?); and Thayer’s (out of range) would show less black on the wingtips and would have pink legs

I’m going with California Gull as well. There seems to be a dark ring with a red spot on the bill, the mantle appears to be approximately the right shade, and the inland-in-the-West location has California Gull written all over it.

I think we have only two gulls to consider, Herring or California based on the structure and wing colour. I agree with David the head is too rounded for Herring and it has a “softer” look to the face so I’m going with the rest, California Gull.

One of those things that, ah, flies. What are they called? Dinosaurs, or something like that… has feathers… teeth… beady eyes… no, no, not teeth, claws! That’s it, claws… still can’t think what the bloody critters are called.

@blf, “pedantic” would not be my choice of adjective- perhaps you strayed onto the wrong site- Pharyngulation takes place here.

In actual fact, as several of us have been engaged in discussing pigmentation in recent posts, it was a lttle teaser…

the melanin that colors wing tips black also strengthens them and as the flight feathers of these species are the ones most subject to wear and tear, the high concentrations of melanin granules (concentrations range from black down to browns and in the smallest concentrations, a yellowish color) provide the maximum strength (see 1, 2, and 3)…

white feathers are the weakest and by comparison, increased wear was seen in an albino Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis), resulting in lower wing area, lower maneuverability, and slower speed than the normally pigmented shearwaters (4).

@blf, “pedantic” would not be my choice of adjective- perhaps you strayed onto the wrong site- Pharyngulation takes place elsewhere on scienceblogs…

In actual fact, as several of us have been engaged in discussing pigmentation in recent posts, it was a lttle teaser…

the melanin that colors wing tips black also strengthens them and as the flight feathers of these species are the ones most subject to wear and tear, the high concentrations of melanin granules (concentrations range from black down to browns and in the smallest concentrations, a yellowish color) provide the maximum strength (see 1, 2, and 3)…

white feathers are the weakest and by comparison, increased wear was seen in an albino Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis), resulting in lower wing area, lower maneuverability, and slower speed than the normally pigmented shearwaters (4).